Lady Senators drop contest to Northwest Florida State at NJCAA DI Softball World Series

OXFORD, AL – No. 4 Walters State scored three runs in the first inning against No. 5 Northwest Florida State on Wednesday afternoon but could not hold on, falling 9-6 at the NJCAA DI Softball World Series. 

With the loss, Walters State fell to 53-3 on the season. They will play again on Thursday at 10 a.m. CT. 

"We just weren't able to come through there," Walters State coach Larry Sauceman said. "We got some hits but struggled at times to get the big one. And we struggled to find the strike zone in the circle. We've got a tough road ahead of us, so we need to come out tomorrow and get ready to go to work."

At the plate on Wednesday, Halle Laramie was a homer away from the cycle. Laramie drove in four runs to go with her three hits. 

Along with Laramie, Kasey Bennett and Ava Brooks each had two hits, while Bennett and Carley Cook both had RBIs. 

In the circle, Tori Coffman got the start and threw 2.2 innings. Coffman allowed three runs on two hits while striking out two. She walked seven.

With two outs in the third, Ashley Milligan (21-3) replaced Coffman and got the final out before pitching the rest of the way. Milligan gave up six runs on eight hits and struck out three.

Things started strong for Walters State in the opening inning as Coffman had no trouble. In the bottom half, Kailey Dixon singled before Jules Johnson walked and Beech reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases with two outs. That brought up Laramie who drove them all in with a bases-clearing double to make it 3-0. 

However, Northwest Florida hit back with three runs in the top of the third to tie the game. Not deterred, the Lady Senators retook the lead in the bottom half of the inning as Beech reached first on an error and then scored on a triple by Laramie to make it 4-3.

In the fourth, Northwest Florida State took their first lead of the game with four runs to make it 7-4. But Walters State cut into the lead in the bottom of the fourth as Dixon walked and scored on a triple by Bennett to make it 7-5. 

Following a scoreless fifth, Northwest Florida upped their lead in the sixth to 9-5 on a two-run homer. 

Down but not out, the Lady Senators showed fight in the seventh. After a strikeout to start the inning, Beech, Laramie and Brooks all singled to load the bases. One more strikeout made it two outs, but Cook pinch hit and drove a single through the right side to score Beech and make it 9-6. 

"We were just trying to get something going there so I sent Cook up and she delivered," Sauceman said. "That was a big hit." 

However, that would be as close as the Lady Senators would get as a fielder's choice ended the game. 

Up Next:

Walters State will be back in action on Thursday morning for an elimination game. First pitch is set for 10 a.m. CT on Field 2. 

Rob Harvey

Walters State Community College

Sports Information Director

Cell: (423) 779-8880

Email: sportsinfo@ws.edu

Website: www.ws.edu/athletics